This post originally started as a reply to an e-mail I got today, but after babbling on and on, I figured that I’d repost it here, too. The gist of it is a lot of what I’ve been babbling about lately — pay attention and get involved.
Hey Kim!
On Friday, Apr 4, 2003, at 21:10 US/Pacific, Kimberley Kelley wrote:
Have any of you seen this? What do you think about it?From: “Alaskans for Peace and Justice”
FYI — Please Notify OthersI forward you this action alert, sent to us by many members. I am soo… grateful to Rep. John Conyers for sticking his neck out like this.Peace, Kate McClellan www.aks4peace.org
<listmaster@aks4peace.org>
Date: Tue Mar 25, 2003 07:51:52 US/Pacific
Subject: Tell Representative John Conyers You want a vote to Impeach*Subject: Rep. Conyers: “Do you want Bush impeached?”
This just in — Spread far and wide. Apologies for duplicates. House Representative John Conyers on the Judicial Committee is asking you — through his legislative assistant Alexia — fax or email if you want Bush impeached.*Fax to:(313) 226-2085* ATTN: ALEXIA, assistant to Hon. Congressman John ConyersMessage from Alexia: The phones are currently ringing off the hook, so please send a brief message stating whether you are for or against impeachment. email: john.conyers@mail.house.gov *OR Fax: (313) 226-2085*They are NOT introducing articles of impeachment now. They are only TALLYING.Also, go to www.votetoimpeach.org for a thorough outline of reasons impeachment is called for (they are numerous), and to sign an online petition.
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 17:19:00 -0900*
Yeah — I first heard about the Vote to Impeach website back in February, and babbled about it a bit on my weblog (Impeach Bush!). I have no idea if there’s really much chance, but I think I added my name to the list.At this point, I don’t know how likely it is for Bush to actually get impeached, but the 2004 elections aren’t very far away, and I’m holding out hope that if nothing else, we may be able to vote the idjit out of office. To my mind, it’s far more important for anyone who’s concerned about the way Bush has been leading the country to start paying attention, check out the Democratic candidates, and (as horrible as it may seem), actually start paying attention to all this political crap.I know that a lot of people I know have historically not paid much attention to politics, especially in Alaska. Heck, by the time most people in Alaska are voting, we usually have a good idea who’s going to win in a national election, and a lot of people use that as a point in the “why bother?” argument. However, I think if we paid attention to the 2000 elections enough to actually learn something, it might have been that individual votes, no matter how inconsequential they might seem, do count. What if just a few thousand — or even a few hundred — of the people who usually say “why bother?” had shown up at the polls in Florida? Bush didn’t win the popular vote, and he only got the Electoral College vote by a narrow margin. If there were a bit less apathy, and a bit more action behind the grumbling I hear so often, we might have a very different country today.Okay, then, so what about all you in Alaska? I could easily imagine a lot of Alaskans returning to the same old argument of how Alaskan votes don’t really count, because of the way the Electoral College is set up. That may be so, but I’d offer two arguments against that.First off, I’ve never been one to let that stop me from voting. Whether or not it “matters” in the grand scheme of things, I’ve always thought that if you don’t even make the attempt to voice your opinion, than you really don’t have much grounds to stand on when you start to complain. A democracy — our democracy — can only work if ‘we the people’ actually care enough to pay attention to it, to get involved, and to shake off the apathy that all too often keeps people away from the polls. Put most simply, in my (not necessarily) humble opinion, if you don’t vote, you’ve got absolutely no right to bitch. Do you believe that one candidate is better than another? Stand behind that belief, express it, and I’ll be a lot more likely to listen to you than if you just sit at home and abdicate your right to any say.Secondly, I know that there are a lot of people living in Alaska who have family and friends “outside.” Talk to them, see where they stand. If you find a candidate that you support, do a little proselytizing. You may or may not convince anyone to vote for your candidate of choice, but with any luck, you might convince a few more people to pay attention, and to vote.The right — and especially the religious right — may not be an ideology that I support, but I’ll say one thing for them, they know how to mobilize their troops. Too many times I’ve seen friends on the left end of the political spectrum bitch and moan about what’s going on or how things are being done (or not being done), but then do nothing about it. Meanwhile, people on the right end of the spectrum are getting together, spreading the word for their chosen candidate, and showing up to the polls in droves. I think too many people equate trying to talk about a political candidate with the stereotypical ultra-Christian missionaries we get knocking on our doors, trying to talk about their particular God of choice, and therefore instinctively shy away from doing anything remotely like that. Unfortunately, that’s probably just what we need. I think it’s time for the left to take a few lessons from the right. I don’t agree with their choices, but their methods sure do work.For what it’s worth, my current candidate of choice is Howard Dean (Official website, Campaign weblog, Unofficial Dean weblog). I’ve been following him a lot, liking what he has to say and his approach, and even tossed a little money his way for the campaign (a first for me)! You might find another candidate more to your liking, but I figured one little plug wouldn’t hurt. 
Anyway, I’ll leave off for now — didn’t mean to turn this into such a missive. I will say one thing for Bush, though — much as I dislike him, and happy as I will be when he leaves office, his bungling has done more to get me actually active and paying attention to the world around me than any other event or person has in a very long time. I’m just hoping that I’m not the only person to be feeling this way.As cheesy as it sounds, I believe that if we all start actually paying attention and getting involved, we can make a difference. I’m making an attempt.How about the rest of you?
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I just don’t get it.
How anyone can claim to care about the state of affairs in the country, but not care enough to vote, is beyond me.
4 Comments
Vote ! or I don’t want to listen to you bitch about who’s in office, that’s what I say.
I have been the Campain caterer in three campains 2 Dem and 1 Rep… Both the Dem. won, ( Dem. were running for Govenor ) The Rep. was thrown out of the Rep. party BY the Rep. party! Running for Senate in Alaska he said kill all them damm wolves we don’t need animals running around killing things. Some would shudder at the thought of a lifelong Dem. working for the Rep. party, but several points to ponder. A job is a job and rent is important. And two I made my politics clear on day one… DURING the interview and I quote. ” Sir. I feel compelled to tell you that not only am I a Dem. but Clinton would have to take several steps to the left to bump into me ” I did not spy for the Dem. party though some asked! But I did listen to what the right was saying. I voted against both the Dem. and they won anyway. It’s amazing when you find out what these people are really like. Politic’s and the quest for power make me sick! But I’ll be dammed if I just sit back and let them have their way. Bush will pay ! After Iraq comes Iran then Siryia and Lybia Come on people ! Listen to what the man is saying. ” I’m on a divine mission ” ” Guidance from God ” ” God is on our side” ( take note…the Nazi’s said this too. And others ) It’s a cheap shot because if you try to debate them on the merits of what they say and your anti God or anti family. No I’m not, I’m Anti-Asshole… and thats you. All people running for office and holding office should say in their Oath of office. I accept that any crime I commit while holding public office shall be punishable by 10 times the standard punishment. I write the laws and if I can’t abide by the laws I make, I should be punished. No person should hold a seat in the Senate or House if convicted of a crime. THROW the bums out, better yet put them in jail. If I was convicted of a crime let’s say Tax evasion. I would lose my job, and I’m just a temp in a print shop for crying out loud. If I’m not to be trusted printing posters why should the people running the country be held to a lesser standard. No doubt I might even spend time in jail! Hold them accountable. Watch. Look. Listen. Hear. Think. VOTE
How about this quote from Mr Bush himself ( daddy bush )
While we hoped that popular revolt would topple Saddam, we did not wish to see the breakup of the Iraqi state. Extending the war into Iraq would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. The coalition would instantly have collapsed, the Arabs deserting in anger and other allies pulling out as well. Unilaterally exceeding the U.N.’s mandate would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the U.S. could still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land.
Maybe he forgot to tell Jr.
While I’m not for GW, I don’t see what value Impeachment would have other than to waste taxpayers time and money. Look at what Nixon did before being impeached (resignation) and Clinton’s Impeachment fiasco. Besides, does anyone really believe the Senate would actually do anything more than censure him if he was somehow impeached by the House?
What needs to be done is to get people to see what’s happening. GW has too much support from the general populace who are too easily swayed by the media. It would be political suicide for any politican to take this on now.
What needs to be done is to speak out to people and show them FACTS as to why this is wrong. Don’t do like hollywood celebrities and talk without credibility. The anti-war movement’s problem isn’t intent, but lack of credibility. Many of these protestors don’t come armed with facts making their perspectives easy to dismiss and, in most cases, they can’t articulate why peace is better. So what’s left is a mantra of, “The war is wrong. The war is immoral. The war is going to increase terrorism.”
Yes, politics and politicians are not for the people…the problem is the average person DOES NOT KNOW THIS!! People need to be empowered so they can understand the world around them and make informed decisions. Media isn’t about truth anymore, yet most people blindly believe what they see on TV. As sad as this is to say, G. Gordon Liddy is correct in calling today’s Americans “sheeple.”
Why oh why didn’t I take the blue pill!
Karl http://www.leray.us Be ready for terrorism - http://www.gialames.com/reminder.html
I did sign for Bush’s impeachment and no I don’t think it ever would happen, in fact I don’t even think it would make it to a vote on the floor. House or Senate. But if some one person…Anyone is able to see 500,000 or a million or more people signatures then they just might have to stop and think. If you were Bush and some one sends you a memo or you read in the paper that 2 million people are ready to impeach you you might just stop and think. It’s not about really getting him impeached, it’s about giving him a wake up call.
When a police office tells you, you might be breaking the law you might just shrug it off. ( we break the law all the time. ie: do you drive 55 ? ) but if that same officer tells you, you are about to commit a FELONY it snaps you back and slaps you with a reality check. That’s what the impeachment vote is for. Reality check Mr Bush. Your… really…really… starting to piss us off